1. Paint the puzzle pieces with acrylic paints or color them with permanent markers. If you use markers that aren't permanent markers draw on the side that doesn't have the shiny coating. The markers will stick better without rubbing off.

2. When the paint dries glue the head onto the body, and glue on googly eyes.

Moonstruck - The True Story of the Cow Who Jumped Over the Moon

It seems that Mother Goose only told part of the story of the cow jumping over the moon. Your children will be pleasantly surprised to hear the "whole" story told by a horse who taught the first cow how to jump over the moon.

Not only is this story endearing, but it also teaches great lessons about not giving up, believing in yourself even when no one else does, and setting goals and accomplishing them one at a time in order to fulfill your dreams.

Use the beanbag cow craft below to help your children with these important lessons.

Cow Beanbag Craft

This beanbag was created to go with the story "Moonstruck - The True Story of the Cow Who Jumped Over the Moon" (above). When your child is having a difficult time with his studies or other activity read him the story. Discuss how the cow didn't give up even when no one believed in him.

Use the cow beanbag as an incentive for your child to accomplish a goal. For example, if he is having a difficult time completing a worksheet, tell him that every time he completes ten problems he gets to try and throw the cow over the moon five times. The moon can be cut from card stock or cardboard and hung from the ceiling.

What you will need: Two socks, one with a different color toe (optional), pink felt, small black eyes, grey acrylic paint, low temp glue gun, polyester fiberfill, rice, and pink paint if you don't have a sock with a different color toe.

How to make a cow beanbag:

1. Cut the toe off one sock about 4 1/2" from the end to make the head. Stuff the head with fiberfill. Close the head by gluing the sides of the cut end together and then gluing the top and bottom of the cut ends end closed. See the picture to the right.

2. To make the body lay another sock flat so that the heal of the sock is on top. Cut the toe off about 5" from the center of the heal. Cut a slit about 3" up the center of that cut end to make the front legs. Cut the cuff end of the sock off about 4" from the center of the heal and cut a slit about 2" to make the back legs.

3. Turn the sock inside out and sew around the legs leaving about one inch open in the middle of the back legs. Turn the sock right-side out through the opening.

4. Fill the legs with rice and the body with poly-fil. Sew the hole closed.

5. Glue the head to the body as shown in the diagram using a low temp glue gun.

6. Cut ears from pink felt and glue them to the head near the folds as shown in the head diagram above.

7. To make the eye sockets insert a threaded needle into the place where you want one eye and then bring it back out where you want the other. Pull the thread to make a slight indent and tie it. Glue the eyes to the indents. Do the same thing to make the nostrils.

8. To finish paint grey spots on the body; paint the hooves and the inside of the ears grey.

The cows aren't happy in the cold barn so they type up a proper complaint letter and give it to Farmer Brown. Shocked, the farmer writes a letter with an ultimatum. Unexpectedly, the cows react by going on strike. Use this book to open up conversation about working together and finding ways to get what you want or need through compromise. (You may be able to get the movie version of this story through your library. Randy Travis, with his southern accent and the country music in the background, really brings the story to life.)

Cow and Moon Paper Plate Craft

What you will need:

Two Dinner-sized Paper Plates

Card stock (Heavy Paper),

Crayons or Markers

White Glue or Glue Sticks

Scissors

How to make a Cow Jumped over the Moon Paper Plate:

1. Draw a cow's head, legs and tail onto card stock or white construction paper or use the patterns provided:

Member's

Instant Download Pattern $2.00 -

2. Cut out the patterns and have your children color them.

3. Fold a paper plate in half to make the cows body.

4. Glue the legs, head and tail onto the inside edge of the paper plate as shown. Then glue the paper plate closed.

5. To make the moon fold the other paper plate in half and cut the halves apart on the folded line. Place the two halves together top to top and glue them together around the rim of the plate. Cut out a face shape and glue the plates together just around the edge of the face.

Farmer Brown leaves his farm in the hands of his brother Bob, and warns him before he leaves to keep his eye on the duck because he is trouble. Your children will laugh at the trouble duck instigates in this wonderful children's book.